CBS Forced To Pay Up, Trump Lawsuit Ends In Massive Settlement

Pretty much every post Ducky spews has somewhere within it a derogatory remark towards Trump. I don't call that principled or objective, I call it slanderous and biased predicated on lies and omission of critical facts and founded on delusion. I really don't care if Ducky hates Trump, he's made that pretty obvious from the start. Most conservative posters here on Lit don't mention Biden's failed policies every time we post an opinion. They ooze such a hatred for Trump that they would gladly and recklessly endanger our national security for the sake of maintaining power as demonstrated by the lies and cover-ups of Biden's cognitive decline, the alleged criminal use of the auto-pen and inserting a presidential candidate without a single vote. And Ducky thinks we're the bad guys.
I think their behavior borders on Obsessive Ideation: persistent, intrusive thoughts about a public figure, usually tied to unresolved emotional or ideological conflict. Or maybe, Narrative Addiction Disorder (NAD) – The compulsive need to follow and repeat media narratives, regardless of factual contradictions. :D
 
If the court finds for Trump on this I suspect grandfathering will be the case in keeping with the constitutional mandate re. no ex post facto legislation.
Except a simple belief in or assumption of birthright citizenship, absent legislation or Supreme Court jurisprudence, wouldn't, in my opinion, create an ex post facto scenario. We'll see what happens.
 
Are you speaking to the facts regarding my support of birthright citizenship? Those are hard not to trust. They come from the Constitutional court cases and the findings. As to the CATO source, there were several others. I chose one for brevity. As noted, it was a liberal think tank and not a 'Leftist-leaning' Democrat-sourced one. Google the background for birthright citizenship and see what pops up for you.

Personal bias is always a factor. It is a mark of a reasonable person to recognize bias and allow for further analysis, adjusting beliefs accordingly. It is not like the derogatory comments that show extreme bias and use excoriating words meant to demean others.

@icanhelp1 @Rightguide show no sense of possessing the ability to detect personal bias, adjust accordingly, or make allowances for the opinions of others. They wallow in pettiness and come here to gloat. I notice they have contributed nothing to this thread about our discussion. Have you noticed that as well?
Why do you support birthright citizenship? It doesn't even make fucking sense. And the constitution does not grant citizenship to all people born here of illegal migrants. The original intent was to grant citizenship to children of slaves. The civil rights act of 1875 was passed to extend civil rights to African Americans and those born into African American families. Just like R v W, Federal judges issuing universal injunctions, assumed authority that was not explicitly granted to them by constitutional law or interpreted the constitution in a way that's not explicitly expressed within the original writing of the constitution.

Speaking of pettiness!! Your words:

"That's one of those both-sides-isms. We have reached a point where one side has crushed the truth into an unrecognized form and cast it aside for lies that fit its narrative.

The other side is fervently hoping that, in about three and a half years, the nightmare will be corrected",

More projection from you! I could point out multiple unethical and criminal constitutional violations by the Biden administration that you purport as a non event. Factual evidence is now surfacing that CIA contractors colluded with Biden democrats to discredit the Hunter laptop story. Biden and his minions lied repeatedly to the American people. Stop the bullshit that democrats shit vanilla ice cream.
 
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Why do you support birthright citizenship. It doesn't even make fucking sense. And the constitution does not grant citizenship to all people born here of illegal migrants. The original intent was to grant citizenship to children of slaves. The civil rights act of 1875 was passed to extend civil rights to African Americans and those born into African American families.
Ah, trumps dream. The whitewashing of America. Did you happen to see the Pentagon site after Hegseth’s “DEI” edit?

Speaking of pettiness!! Your words:

"That's one of those both-sides-isms. We have reached a point where one side has crushed the truth into an unrecognized form and cast it aside for lies that fit its narrative.

The other side is fervently hoping that, in about three and a half years, the nightmare will be corrected",

More projection from you! I could point out multiple unethical and criminal constitutional violations by the Biden administration that you purport as a non event. Factual evidence is now surfacing that CIA contractors colluded with Biden democrats to discredit the Hunter laptop story. Biden and his minions lied repeatedly to the American people. Stop the bullshit that democrats shit vanilla ice cream.
Please do with credible sources.
 

CBS Forced to Pay Up, Trump Lawsuit Ends in Massive Settlement [WATCH]​

By LifeZette News Staff
July 2, 2025



Paramount Global and CBS have agreed to settle a high-profile lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump over alleged election interference by paying a sum that could exceed $30 million.

The agreement follows months of legal wrangling related to CBS News’ handling of a 2024 interview involving then-Vice President Kamala Harris on the program “60 Minutes.”



https://www*****zette.com/2025/07/c...ump-lawsuit-ends-in-massive-settlement-watch/

Lying to the American people on behalf of the Democrat Party can be costly.
CBS wasn't forced to pay anything. They settled the suit to save a merger deal. Every legal expert said if they'd fought it they would have won. The full transcript showed that nothing was wrong with the editing they did.
 
Why do you support birthright citizenship. It doesn't even make fucking sense. And the constitution does not grant citizenship to all people born here of illegal migrants. The original intent was to grant citizenship to children of slaves. The civil rights act of 1875 was passed to extend civil rights to African Americans and those born into African American families. Just like R v W, Federal judges issuing universal injunctions, assumed authority that was not explicitly granted to them by constitutional law or interpreted the constitution in a way that's not explicitly expressed within the original writing of the constitution.

Speaking of pettiness!! Your words:

"That's one of those both-sides-isms. We have reached a point where one side has crushed the truth into an unrecognized form and cast it aside for lies that fit its narrative.

The other side is fervently hoping that, in about three and a half years, the nightmare will be corrected",

More projection from you! I could point out multiple unethical and criminal constitutional violations by the Biden administration that you purport as a non event. Factual evidence is now surfacing that CIA contractors colluded with Biden democrats to discredit the Hunter laptop story. Biden and his minions lied repeatedly to the American people. Stop the bullshit that democrats shit vanilla ice cream.
Interestingly, a strong believer in the Constitution wants to rewrite or remove the 14th Amendment, which says:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens…”
And you say my support of it is projection and doesn't make fucking sense. I support the Constitution. I support the fact that for 125 years, that decision and subsequent applications of it have not destroyed or damaged the USA. Now, in the current Presidency, it has become an impediment and must be cast aside to ease the removal of illegal migrants because one man wants political expediency over justice.

You and your 'Elk' want to dismiss a SC ruling because it was not part of the original Constitution, but you are fine with nitpicking other decisions that suit your mindset.

In United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), the Supreme Court confirmed this includes anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. The Court called it:

“The ancient and fundamental rule of citizenship by birth within the territory.”
That precedent has stood for over 125 years.

There’s no credible evidence that birthright citizenship threatens our national security or economy. In fact, most U.S.-born children of immigrants grow up to be net contributors. The renewed push to revoke it often isn't about fixing immigration—it’s about getting around due process and creating legal gray zones where fewer rights apply.

Yeah, about that what-about-ism "fucking stuff" that isn't germaine to this thread is this case in point, "I could point out multiple unethical and criminal constitutional violations by the Biiiiiiden...." This thread isn't about Biden. It is about things you wish would go away, but a little thing called the Constitution seems to stand between you and the downtrodden lower-class citizens who happen to have an immigrant family member.

I'm fine, BTW, if you want to address this via the appropriate legal action and legislation to change the Constitution. I'm not fine with the guy who is not Biiiiiden, attempting to use vigilante justice under the guise of some unreal declared national war emergency.
 
"subject to the jurisdiction thereof"

That's it Sparky, that is the key phrase, the heart of the matter. That's what the debate is about.

Did the authors mean just the freed slaves and legal immigrants, or everybody that can get their ass across the border and pop out a kid?
 
"subject to the jurisdiction thereof"

That's it Sparky, that is the key phrase, the heart of the matter. That's what the debate is about.

Did the authors mean just the freed slaves and legal immigrants, or everybody that can get their ass across the border and pop out a kid?
I’ve quoted that exact phrase in legal arguments supported by some of the most influential and knowledgeable constitutional scholars and lawyers. Just as R v W was a flawed interpretation of the constitution so is childbirth citizenship.
Interestingly, a strong believer in the Constitution wants to rewrite or remove the 14th Amendment, which says:
Nope, the 14th, in my opinion, does not grant citizenship to all. There’s this caveat within the 14th stating ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof’
And you say my support of it is projection and doesn't make fucking sense
Cite where I ever wrote that your belief in the 14th is projection. That’s a lie. This statement by you is where I accused you of projection;
VVVVVVVV

"That's one of those both-sides-isms. We have reached a point where one side has crushed the truth into an unrecognized form and cast it aside for lies that fit its narrative.

The other side is fervently hoping that, in about three and a half years, the nightmare will be corrected",

. I support the Constitution. I support the fact that for 125 years, that decision and subsequent applications of it have not destroyed or damaged the USA. Now, in the current Presidency, it has become an impediment and must be cast aside to ease the removal of illegal migrants because one man wants political expediency over justice.
That’s your opinion. A country without borders is not a country. 78 million voters say different. To say that Biden’s immigration policy has not damaged our country is delusional. There’s a big difference between an orderly immigration process and an invasion.
You and your 'Elk' want to dismiss a SC ruling because it was not part of the original Constitution, but you are fine with nitpicking other decisions that suit your mindset.
That’s a big negative. Stare decisis (precedent) although binding in most cases does not bind the courts from deviating from precedent if compelling reason’s exists to change bad law or clear errors made in past decisions.
In United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), the Supreme Court confirmed this includes anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. The Court called it:
Parents had legal status.
That precedent has stood for over 125 years.

There’s no credible evidence that birthright citizenship threatens our national security or economy. In fact, most U.S.-born children of immigrants grow up to be net contributors. The renewed push to revoke it often isn't about fixing immigration—it’s about getting around due process and creating legal gray zones where fewer rights apply.
Yet. Stop with your philosophical nonsense. Nowhere in the constitution does it grant citizenship for children born of illegal migrants. This part of the constitution… ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof’ is where many legal scholars disagree with the present interpretation of the constitution. What you believe and I believe are totally different. We’ll have to wait for a decision from SCOTUS. I find it ironic that if someone challenges a SCOTUS ruling you scold others for failing to follow constitutional principles but it was you and your ilk that went batshit crazy when SCOTUS ruled to overturn R v W and returned that authority back to the states. Only democrats like Schumer on the steps of the Capital threatened justices. It was democrats that doxed supreme court justices threatening their lives. A prime example of the courts deviation from precedent because of bad law, and a prime example of your hypocrisy.
Yeah, about that what-about-ism "fucking stuff" that isn't germaine to this thread is this case in point, "I could point out multiple unethical and criminal constitutional violations by the Biiiiiiden...." This thread isn't about Biden. It is about things you wish would go away, but a little thing called the Constitution seems to stand between you and the downtrodden lower-class citizens who happen to have an immigrant family member.
Just about every post you share with us has some sort of denigrating comments towards the Trump’s past and present administrations. You often bring up Trump’s first term.
I'm fine, BTW, if you want to address this via the appropriate legal action and legislation to change the Constitution. I'm not fine with the guy who is not Biiiiiden, attempting to use vigilante justice under the guise of some unreal declared national war emergency.
Democrats have honed vigilante justice to a science. Your lack of self awareness is on the galactic scale, didn’t think it was possible to lack that much self awareness.

I can’t recall one instance where Trump didn’t comply with a judge’s order, even unconstitutional ones.
 
I’ve quoted that exact phrase in legal arguments supported by some of the most influential and knowledgeable constitutional scholars and lawyers. Just as R v W was a flawed interpretation of the constitution so is childbirth citizenship.

Nope, the 14th, in my opinion, does not grant citizenship to all. There’s this caveat within the 14th stating ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof’

Cite where I ever wrote that your belief in the 14th is projection. That’s a lie. This statement by you is where I accused you of projection;
VVVVVVVV

"That's one of those both-sides-isms. We have reached a point where one side has crushed the truth into an unrecognized form and cast it aside for lies that fit its narrative.

The other side is fervently hoping that, in about three and a half years, the nightmare will be corrected",


That’s your opinion. A country without borders is not a country. 78 million voters say different. To say that Biden’s immigration policy has not damaged our country is delusional. There’s a big difference between an orderly immigration process and an invasion.

That’s a big negative. Stare decisis (precedent) although binding in most cases does not bind the courts from deviating from precedent if compelling reason’s exists to change bad law or clear errors made in past decisions.

Parents had legal status.

Yet. Stop with your philosophical nonsense. Nowhere in the constitution does it grant citizenship for children born of illegal migrants. This part of the constitution… ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof’ is where many legal scholars disagree with the present interpretation of the constitution. What you believe and I believe are totally different. We’ll have to wait for a decision from SCOTUS. I find it ironic that if someone challenges a SCOTUS ruling you scold others for failing to follow constitutional principles but it was you and your ilk that went batshit crazy when SCOTUS ruled to overturn R v W and returned that authority back to the states. Only democrats like Schumer on the steps of the Capital threatened justices. It was democrats that doxed supreme court justices threatening their lives. A prime example of the courts deviation from precedent because of bad law, and a prime example of your hypocrisy.

Just about every post you share with us has some sort of denigrating comments towards the Trump’s past and present administrations. You often bring up Trump’s first term.

Democrats have honed vigilante justice to a science. Your lack of self awareness is on the galactic scale, didn’t think it was possible to lack that much self awareness.

I can’t recall one instance where Trump didn’t comply with a judge’s order, even unconstitutional ones.
Typical bullcrap and pontification. Compeling reasons my ass. There are none. He made this shit straight up from fantansy land. You glory in it with phony self-righteous indignation.

One hundred twenty-five years of stable interpretations outweigh your bantering. It only comes up now that the felon wants to find a quick and easy way to deport citizens. Making them non-citizens is an easy hurdle for him to handle.

Nothing justifies stripping citizenship from law-abiding citizens.

You defend a criminal. Full stop.
 
CBS wasn't forced to pay anything. They settled the suit to save a merger deal. Every legal expert said if they'd fought it they would have won. The full transcript showed that nothing was wrong with the editing they did.
According to who? The fact that 60mins highly edited the interview to put Kami in a better light and attempt to show she had command of her thoughts instead of a rambling word salad is fraud. They attempted to put their thumbs on the scale to swing an election. A 60mins tradition BTW…remember when Danny Rather tried it in ‘04?

He actually paid the price and spent the rest of his miserable career in obscure cable teevee hell interviewing washed up rock and rollers. Four other Radicalized democrats lost their jobs over that scandal.

Will any of the current lineup of 60 mins democrats lose theirs?
 
I’ve quoted that exact phrase in legal arguments supported by some of the most influential and knowledgeable constitutional scholars and lawyers. Just as R v W was a flawed interpretation of the constitution so is childbirth citizenship.

Nope, the 14th, in my opinion, does not grant citizenship to all. There’s this caveat within the 14th stating ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof’

Cite where I ever wrote that your belief in the 14th is projection. That’s a lie. This statement by you is where I accused you of projection;
VVVVVVVV

"That's one of those both-sides-isms. We have reached a point where one side has crushed the truth into an unrecognized form and cast it aside for lies that fit its narrative.

The other side is fervently hoping that, in about three and a half years, the nightmare will be corrected",


That’s your opinion. A country without borders is not a country. 78 million voters say different. To say that Biden’s immigration policy has not damaged our country is delusional. There’s a big difference between an orderly immigration process and an invasion.

That’s a big negative. Stare decisis (precedent) although binding in most cases does not bind the courts from deviating from precedent if compelling reason’s exists to change bad law or clear errors made in past decisions.

Parents had legal status.

Yet. Stop with your philosophical nonsense. Nowhere in the constitution does it grant citizenship for children born of illegal migrants. This part of the constitution… ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof’ is where many legal scholars disagree with the present interpretation of the constitution. What you believe and I believe are totally different. We’ll have to wait for a decision from SCOTUS. I find it ironic that if someone challenges a SCOTUS ruling you scold others for failing to follow constitutional principles but it was you and your ilk that went batshit crazy when SCOTUS ruled to overturn R v W and returned that authority back to the states. Only democrats like Schumer on the steps of the Capital threatened justices. It was democrats that doxed supreme court justices threatening their lives. A prime example of the courts deviation from precedent because of bad law, and a prime example of your hypocrisy.

Just about every post you share with us has some sort of denigrating comments towards the Trump’s past and present administrations. You often bring up Trump’s first term.

Democrats have honed vigilante justice to a science. Your lack of self awareness is on the galactic scale, didn’t think it was possible to lack that much self awareness.

I can’t recall one instance where Trump didn’t comply with a judge’s order, even unconstitutional ones.
Let's get back on this horse and ride it again cause I've had dinner and find a rereading of this to be a lot of pissing in the wind for effect.

Let's start with—“subject to the jurisdiction thereof”—your magic incantation, clutched like a rusty sword by every armchair constitutionalist trying to gut the 14th Amendment with one tired phrase. You treat it like it’s the noose in the lynchman’s rope, ready to strangle precedent. But let’s break it to you gently:

United States v. Wong Kim Ark.
1898.
125 years ago.
The Supreme Court said: born here = citizen.
Git yer damned facts straight: his parents weren’t citizens. Couldn’t even become citizens. And yet—bam—he's a citizen. That’s not a loophole. That’s law.

You may be salivating for a gotcha moment, but this isn’t shark-infested waters—it’s settled constitutional territory. Unless you're trying to impress Clarence Thomas at a Federalist Society mixer, you're not overturning that with a Reddit legal brief and a quote from your favorite podcast.

And sure, Roe was overturned. Yay for raw political muscle dressed as judicial modesty. If you want to compare that to Wong, fine—but say what you really mean: you don’t want constitutional law. You want convenient law. You want a Constitution that obeys you, not the other way around.

Now let’s talk Trump. Yes, your orange Moses—convicted on 34 felony counts, appealing like a man praying for manna. No, that doesn’t make him a martyr. It makes him a felon pending review. He’s not fighting for justice—he’s fighting to run the country from house arrest.

And if you think this is all projection because I’m pointing it out? Buddy, projection would be me screaming about borders while marrying foreign nationals, dodging taxes, and hoarding classified files next to the golf cart charger and next to a golden toilet.

Here’s the truth: You don’t want constitutional clarity. You want power, vengeance, and an America that only works for you and those who look, talk, and vote like you. But the Constitution wasn’t written for your comfort. It was written to bind power, not hand it to those who yell loudest.

So keep tugging on that 14th Amendment thread. But don’t be shocked when the rope you’re pulling tightens around the very liberties you claim to defend.
 
Let's get back on this horse and ride it again cause I've had dinner and find a rereading of this to be a lot of pissing in the wind for effect.

Let's start with—“subject to the jurisdiction thereof”—your magic incantation, clutched like a rusty sword by every armchair constitutionalist trying to gut the 14th Amendment with one tired phrase. You treat it like it’s the noose in the lynchman’s rope, ready to strangle precedent. But let’s break it to you gently:

United States v. Wong Kim Ark.
1898.
125 years ago.
The Supreme Court said: born here = citizen.
Git yer damned facts straight: his parents weren’t citizens. Couldn’t even become citizens. And yet—bam—he's a citizen. That’s not a loophole. That’s law.

You may be salivating for a gotcha moment, but this isn’t shark-infested waters—it’s settled constitutional territory. Unless you're trying to impress Clarence Thomas at a Federalist Society mixer, you're not overturning that with a Reddit legal brief and a quote from your favorite podcast.

And sure, Roe was overturned. Yay for raw political muscle dressed as judicial modesty. If you want to compare that to Wong, fine—but say what you really mean: you don’t want constitutional law. You want convenient law. You want a Constitution that obeys you, not the other way around.

Now let’s talk Trump. Yes, your orange Moses—convicted on 34 felony counts, appealing like a man praying for manna. No, that doesn’t make him a martyr. It makes him a felon pending review. He’s not fighting for justice—he’s fighting to run the country from house arrest.

And if you think this is all projection because I’m pointing it out? Buddy, projection would be me screaming about borders while marrying foreign nationals, dodging taxes, and hoarding classified files next to the golf cart charger and next to a golden toilet.

Here’s the truth: You don’t want constitutional clarity. You want power, vengeance, and an America that only works for you and those who look, talk, and vote like you. But the Constitution wasn’t written for your comfort. It was written to bind power, not hand it to those who yell loudest.

So keep tugging on that 14th Amendment thread. But don’t be shocked when the rope you’re pulling tightens around the very liberties you claim to defend.
Off topic but what the hell!

Something to think about. Common sense over racial bias.

One opinion of an esteemed legal scholar, one of many.

https://www.heritage.org/immigratio...ndamental-misunderstanding-the-14th-amendment

Security

Birthright Citizenship: A Fundamental Misunderstanding of the 14th Amendment​

Oct 30, 2018 3 min read
https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/styles/author_card_commentary_single/public/profile-photos/vonSpakovsky_Hans_Website.png?h=a1eb1060&itok=uijP79PvCOMMENTARY BY
Hans A. von Spakovsky@HvonSpakovsky
Election Law Reform Initiative Manager, Senior Legal Fellow
Hans von Spakovsky is an authority on a wide range of issues—including civil rights, civil justice, the First Amendment, immigration.



In the famous Slaughter-House cases of 1872, the Supreme Court stated that this qualifying phrase was intended to exclude “children of ministers, consuls, and citizens or subjects of foreign States born within the United States.” This was confirmed in 1884 in another case, Elk vs. Wilkins, when citizenship was denied to an American Indian because he “owed immediate allegiance to” his tribe and not the United States.
American Indians and their children did not become citizens until Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. There would have been no need to pass such legislation if the 14th Amendment extended citizenship to every person born in America, no matter what the circumstances of their birth, and no matter who their parents are.
Even in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, the 1898 case most often cited by “birthright” supporters due to its overbroad language, the court only held that a child born of lawful, permanent residents was a U.S. citizen. That is a far cry from saying that a child born of individuals who are here illegally must be considered a U.S. citizen.
Of course, the judges in that case were strongly influenced by the fact that there were discriminatory laws in place at that time that restricted Chinese immigration, a situation that does not exist today.
The court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment as extending to the children of legal, noncitizens was incorrect, according to the text and legislative history of the amendment. But even under that holding, citizenship was not extended to the children of illegal aliens—only permanent, legal residents.
It is just plain wrong to claim that the children born of parents temporarily in the country as students or tourists are automatically U.S. citizens: They do not meet the 14th Amendment’s jurisdictional allegiance obligations. They are, in fact, subject to the political jurisdiction (and allegiance) of the country of their parents. The same applies to the children of illegal aliens because children born in the United States to foreign citizens are citizens of their parents’ home country.
Federal law offers them no help either. U.S. immigration law (8 U.S.C. § 1401) simply repeats the language of the 14th Amendment, including the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”
The State Department has erroneously interpreted that statute to provide passports to anyone born in the United States, regardless of whether their parents are here illegally and regardless of whether the applicant meets the requirement of being “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S. Accordingly, birthright citizenship has been implemented by executive fiat, not because it is required by federal law or the Constitution.
We are only one of a very small number of countries that provides birthright citizenship, and we do so based not upon the requirements of federal law or the Constitution, but based upon an erroneous executive interpretation. Congress should clarify the law according to the original meaning of the 14th Amendment and reverse this practice.
Originally published by Fox News in 2011
This piece originally appeared in The Daily Signal

Heritage​


Opinion writing; Jonathan Turley

US vs Wong Kim Ark;

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opin...order-court-14th-amendment-column/1818609002/

That decision is often cited as establishing birthright citizens for everyone, but those parents were legal residents. Most advocates of the narrower meaning of the 14th Amendment agree that both citizens and legal residents are deemed “subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.”
 
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Off topic but what the hell!

Something to think about. Common sense over racial bias.

One opinion of an esteemed legal scholar, one of many.

https://www.heritage.org/immigratio...ndamental-misunderstanding-the-14th-amendment

Security

Birthright Citizenship: A Fundamental Misunderstanding of the 14th Amendment​

Oct 30, 2018 3 min read
https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/styles/author_card_commentary_single/public/profile-photos/vonSpakovsky_Hans_Website.png?h=a1eb1060&itok=uijP79PvCOMMENTARY BY
Hans A. von Spakovsky@HvonSpakovsky
Election Law Reform Initiative Manager, Senior Legal Fellow
Hans von Spakovsky is an authority on a wide range of issues—including civil rights, civil justice, the First Amendment, immigration.



In the famous Slaughter-House cases of 1872, the Supreme Court stated that this qualifying phrase was intended to exclude “children of ministers, consuls, and citizens or subjects of foreign States born within the United States.” This was confirmed in 1884 in another case, Elk vs. Wilkins, when citizenship was denied to an American Indian because he “owed immediate allegiance to” his tribe and not the United States.
American Indians and their children did not become citizens until Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. There would have been no need to pass such legislation if the 14th Amendment extended citizenship to every person born in America, no matter what the circumstances of their birth, and no matter who their parents are.
Even in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, the 1898 case most often cited by “birthright” supporters due to its overbroad language, the court only held that a child born of lawful, permanent residents was a U.S. citizen. That is a far cry from saying that a child born of individuals who are here illegally must be considered a U.S. citizen.
Of course, the judges in that case were strongly influenced by the fact that there were discriminatory laws in place at that time that restricted Chinese immigration, a situation that does not exist today.
The court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment as extending to the children of legal, noncitizens was incorrect, according to the text and legislative history of the amendment. But even under that holding, citizenship was not extended to the children of illegal aliens—only permanent, legal residents.
It is just plain wrong to claim that the children born of parents temporarily in the country as students or tourists are automatically U.S. citizens: They do not meet the 14th Amendment’s jurisdictional allegiance obligations. They are, in fact, subject to the political jurisdiction (and allegiance) of the country of their parents. The same applies to the children of illegal aliens because children born in the United States to foreign citizens are citizens of their parents’ home country.
Federal law offers them no help either. U.S. immigration law (8 U.S.C. § 1401) simply repeats the language of the 14th Amendment, including the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”
The State Department has erroneously interpreted that statute to provide passports to anyone born in the United States, regardless of whether their parents are here illegally and regardless of whether the applicant meets the requirement of being “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S. Accordingly, birthright citizenship has been implemented by executive fiat, not because it is required by federal law or the Constitution.
We are only one of a very small number of countries that provides birthright citizenship, and we do so based not upon the requirements of federal law or the Constitution, but based upon an erroneous executive interpretation. Congress should clarify the law according to the original meaning of the 14th Amendment and reverse this practice.
Originally published by Fox News in 2011
This piece originally appeared in The Daily Signal

Heritage​


Opinion writing; Jonathan Turley

US vs Wong Kim Ark;

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opin...order-court-14th-amendment-column/1818609002/

That decision is often cited as establishing birthright citizens for everyone, but those parents were legal residents. Most advocates of the narrower meaning of the 14th Amendment agree that both citizens and legal residents are deemed “subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.”
Good afternoon.

Has anyone demonstrated that birthright citizenship has harmed our country or threatened national security? I’ve yet to see credible evidence. So, is this a genuine legal concern—or a red herring used to justify mass deportation, even of citizens? I believe it’s the latter, and that’s precisely why the current president is challenging it. Not because it’s a national emergency—but because it’s politically expedient.

You’ve cited Hans von Spakovsky to support the argument that the 14th Amendment’s birthright clause is open to reinterpretation. He’s a prolific legal commentator, yes—but also one deeply aligned with Project 2025, a policy blueprint for a hard-right restructuring of the executive branch.

In testimony before Congress, von Spakovsky claimed, “We know that aliens are registering and actually voting.” Yet when pressed, he offered no evidence. Courts have repeatedly discredited his expert testimony. In some cases, he admitted under oath that his assertions were unsupported or false. One federal judge even admonished him for peddling misinformation. This matters—not just because it speaks to his credibility on voter fraud, but because it reflects a pattern of using unfounded claims to justify sweeping changes to constitutional interpretation.

He may have firmer legal ground in the birthright debate—but make no mistake: this is an ideological campaign, not a settled legal fact. If an interpretation has held for over 150 years, upheld through wars, immigration waves, and multiple court challenges, then it’s not a loophole. It’s precedent.

As to John Turley, he is an honorable man. One whose stance on positions is fact-based.

You sourced a repeat of the legal case for Wong and a single comment by Turley. The legal case found that Wong was entitled to be a US citizen. Turley just pointed out that some think the Supreme Court’s interpretation should be more narrow and exclude children born to individuals who are here illegally or just passing through and give birth. It doesn’t say anything about the SC case being invalid or that Turley wants to change it. It was his note that some hold a narrower interpretation, and he did not offer anything other than that variances of opinion exist.

Furthermore, since there is no evidence that birthright citizenship is detrimental, there is no logical or compelling reason to amend the Constitution or invalidate the interpretation through legislative changes. To bring about a change in the Constitution would require compelling reasons. There are none at this point regarding birthright citizenship. If the president wants to expel people, he has the legitimate court procedures to follow to take such actions. The mass round-up of individuals, stripping them from loved ones and their children, often leaving them abandoned, or paying for them to be imprisoned in another foreign nation, is abhorrent. No government should operate in such a manner. Certainly not one that claims to have been founded upon being a nation of immigrants.
 
According to who? The fact that 60mins highly edited the interview to put Kami in a better light and attempt to show she had command of her thoughts instead of a rambling word salad is fraud. They attempted to put their thumbs on the scale to swing an election. A 60mins tradition BTW…remember when Danny Rather tried it in ‘04?

He actually paid the price and spent the rest of his miserable career in obscure cable teevee hell interviewing washed up rock and rollers. Four other Radicalized democrats lost their jobs over that scandal.

Will any of the current lineup of 60 mins democrats lose theirs?
You need to read more
 
CBS wasn't forced to pay anything. They settled the suit to save a merger deal. Every legal expert said if they'd fought it they would have won. The full transcript showed that nothing was wrong with the editing they did.
That's bullshit. They were forced to settle by political, economic, and legal reality.
 
That's bullshit. They were forced to settle by political, economic, and legal reality.
You must be reading highly partisan sites. Others are reporting what @zysmith said.

Although, you have a point. The political reality was that trump could have nixed the sale if they didn’t settle, thereby assuring a sweet bribe. The economic reality is they wanted the sale to go through, so pay to play as is the trump admin. And the legal reality was that it was a typical trump harassment suit that had no real teeth and would have been swatted aside in time if they hadn’t prioritized the sale. If nothing else, your guy really knows how to play the system.
 

Breaking! Trump’s $36M Media Settlement​

By
M Dowling
-
July 22, 2025

President Trump just made a big announcement on TruthSocial. It’s wonderful to see some justice from the corrupt media. Maybe they will change their ways. We heard about the $16 million settlement from CBS. However, it turns out it is actually $36 million.

“BREAKING NEWS! We have just achieved a BIG AND IMPORTANT WIN in our Historic Lawsuit against 60 Minutes, CBS, and Paramount. Just like ABC and George Slopadopoulos, CBS and its Corporate Owners knew that they defrauded the American People, and were desperate to settle.

“Paramount/CBS/60 Minutes have today paid $16 Million Dollars in settlement, and we also anticipate receiving $20 Million Dollars more from the new Owners, in Advertising, PSAs, or similar Programming, for a total of over $36 Million Dollars. This is another in a long line of VICTORIES over the Fake News Media, who we are holding to account for their widespread fraud and deceit.

https://www.independentsentinel.com/breaking-trumps-36m-media-settlement/
https://learn.augustapreciousmetals...cid=1696&aff_id=4591&display_creative_id=1119
 
I just hope he insisted on a check handwritten by the president of CBS so he could feel the pain...
 
When he has lost his appeals. By law, he isn't a felon until he is sentenced.
That's a false statement, Bubba. It has been pointed out numerous times here that it is untrue. He was a felon at the time of his verdict and sentencing. That he has an appeal process doesn't negate that.
 
Nobody seems to be able to agree on what's true.

I take personal accountability for my actions. If I vote for someone, I hope they're going to do what I want them to do. At the end of the day, there is only one person we have complete control over. Ourselves.

I value my country. In a perfect world we'd all be holding hands singing kumbaya. I am seeing 2 different political factions each declaring that the other side is the enemy. I thought we were all Americans.
At my age, I'm not sure we have complete control over ourselves either. But you and I can agree on what's true about politics.

George Orwell might have succinctly expressed that truth as, "All Americans are equal, but some Americans are more equal than others."
 
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